FootballBlyth snapped up by Foxes

THE much speculated transfer of Brakes strikerJacob Blyth to NPower Championship side Leicester City FC was completed on Friday afternoon for a nominal fee.

Blyth will join City’s development squad for the 2012/13 season under the guidance of coach Steve Beaglehole.

The Foxes are giving him an opportunity in the professional ranks following his 17 goals for Leamington last season in the Evo Stik Southern Premier League.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last three seasons.

After top scoring at Midland Combination Premier Division side Nuneaton Griff in his first season in senior football he moved to Bedworth United in 2010 and scored ten goals before being snapped up by Paul Holleran midway through the 2010-11 campaign.

Brakes chairman Jim Scott said, 'We are delighted for young Jacob. He has been given a wonderful opportunity but this is merely him placing his foot on the first rung of the ladder.

"He will need to put in a lot of hard work over the next season.

"It also reflects well upon our club. We want young talented players to come and challenge for a place in our first team.

"Manager Paul Holleran took a chance on Jacob 15 months ago, he grabbed that opportunity and has developed further under the guidance of Paul and his coaches.

"He was never in the professional ranks as a youngster and it is to his credit that he has come through as a late developer."

Holleran added: "I am delighted a club of Leicester's size has come in and taken a punt on Jacob. They were one of a number of clubs who have been down to the New Windmill this year looking at us and he's attracted a lot of attention.

"I think at times it has affected him as there have been a lot of agents about but he took the right advice while this was going on, which was just to concentrate on Leamington, work hard and see what happens at the end of the season."

"It's a fantastic opportunity for him and I'm sure, like me, the Brakes supporters will take great interest in watching how he gets on at Leicester."